To reclaim Hoshino from the Kaiser Corporation, I needed to consolidate as much strength as possible.
Before pinpointing Hoshino's whereabouts, I had to map out my connections, identify who could be persuaded, and figure out how to gain the most support at the least cost.
So, after dinner, I shut myself in my bedroom, sat at my desk, and mulled over the matter, jotting down my thoughts in a digital document.
Knock, knock.
A faint tapping sounded at the door.
"Sensei, may I disturb you for a moment?"
It was Ayane's voice.
I closed my laptop, stood, and quickly opened the door. Ayane stood there, looking timid.
"Sensei," a shadow of worry lingered between her brows, "may I come in?"
"Of course."
I stepped aside, inviting Ayane into my room. She sat on the edge of my bed.
Handing her a glass of water, I sat beside her and asked gently, "What's wrong?"
Ayane's gaze drifted to the corner of the room.
A shotgun, its body a stark black-and-white with hints of pink matching someone's hair, leaned against the wall.
Ayane lowered her eyes, bit her lip softly, and pleaded in a hushed voice:
"Could you, Sensei, have a life consultation with me?"
As expected, she was here about what happened earlier today.
Ayane, with her delicate and sensitive heart, must have been carrying a mountain of worries.
Her willingness to confide in me was a sign of trust, and I was more than happy to listen.
Seeing my ready agreement, Ayane's expression softened.
Then her first words nearly made me lose my composure:
"Actually, I think Hoshino-senpai's suspicions about you aren't entirely baseless."
Are you here for a life consultation or to pick a fight?!
But, thinking it over…
For her to speak such blunt truths to my face… that's a kind of trust in itself, isn't it?
"I'm not trying to defend Hoshino-senpai, nor am I criticizing you, Sensei. I just think… it's normal to have doubts because of coincidences, but it's also true that you've helped us."
Ayane's tone grew softer, tinged with confusion:
"I don't understand. Hoshino-senpai, who's always so kind to us, even if she's usually a bit unreliable, lazy, and fond of making weird uncle-like jokes, always steps up when it matters most, holding up the Foreclosure Task Force. Why would she suddenly act like this?
"Even if trust was lost, couldn't we have talked it over slowly afterward or discussed it privately with the others? There were so many gentler ways, but Hoshino-senpai's actions left no room for anyone.
"And it's not like accepting the Kaiser Corporation's invitation was the only option. There must be other solutions. With you here, Sensei… being together is what matters most…
"I keep thinking, if I'd been brave enough to speak my mind back then, could things have turned out differently?"
A delicate-hearted girl, always so sentimental.
What should I do, then?
Gently tell her it's not her fault, that speaking up wouldn't have helped and might even have made things worse?
Or praise her, say she's right, and urge her to voice her opinions next time to avoid the same mistake?
Answering her question at all, whether agreeing or disagreeing, would only make Ayane blame herself more, feel worse.
So, I'd look past the surface to the root of it. What was this girl, seeking comfort from me, truly after?
"It's okay. I'll bring Hoshino back for you."
I gently pulled Ayane into my arms. She let out a shy gasp but didn't resist.
Through her clothes, I could almost feel the heat of her breath.
"Then we'll scold her together, make that dummy realize how much her adorable junior worries about her foolishness."
"A-adorable…?"
Ayane's voice trembled. She looked up at me, cheeks flushed, eyes growing hazy.
I smiled, reached out, and took off her glasses, setting them aside.
Ayane must have guessed what I was about to do. She closed her eyes, held her breath, her heartbeat quickening.
Her vulnerable, inviting demeanor stirred an itch in me, and I no longer held back my desire…
Knock, knock, knock.
The mood was shattered by a knock at the door.
"Sensei∼ Are you in there~?"
It was Mutsuki's voice.
Ayane snapped back to reality, pushing me away in a panic, fumbling to fix her disheveled clothes.
I, unbothered, kept my arm around her waist, ready to continue. "It's fine. She doesn't have a keycard to get in."
"Eh∼ Sensei, you're not doing something weird in there, are you~? Guess I'll have to put explosives on the door!"
Mutsuki was absolutely capable of that.
"…Maybe you should hide somewhere for now?"
Though Ayane and I were perfectly innocent, her current flushed and springlike demeanor could easily invite misunderstandings.
Ayane looked at me with a look that seemed neither ashamed nor angry before swiftly slipping into the bathroom.
"Sensei∼ Hurry up and open the door for me~"
I glanced at the items nearby and paused for a moment.
A few seconds later, Mutsuki tilted her head, eyeing me curiously as I wore a familiar pair of glasses.
"Why are you wearing Glasses Girl's glasses?"
"Just protecting my eyesight."
"Hmm∼ If you say so~"
Mutsuki grinned brightly, pushed past me, and strode confidently into my bedroom. She plopped onto my bed, looking around.
I sighed helplessly. "What are you here for…?"
"Look at this" Mutsuki held up a bag. "I came to play a board game with you, Sensei"
"Why me?"
"Hehe∼ Because you looked so down and interesting today~ I really want to cheer you up, so here I am!"
Seeing Mutsuki's beaming smile, I was certain she was up to no good.
"Sorry, I'm not in the mood to play…"
But Mutsuki had already pulled the board game from the bag, spreading it out on the bed.
"It's exactly at times like this that you need to cheer up! We're all really worried about you, you know."
I froze, a wave of warmth rising in my chest.
Even Mutsuki, usually the most mischievous, knew how to care.
That sentiment lasted until I learned the specifics of the game. A simple roll-the-dice, move-your-piece, trigger-an-event setup. But the events…
They were almost entirely various penalty games.
"…You're just here to prank me, aren't you?"
Mutsuki, shuffling the cards, denied it. "Ehh∼ No way~"
"You're definitely going to cheat."
"You're just slandering me, Sensei! I'd never cheat!"
Mutsuki puffed out her cheeks, rolled a die, moved her piece a few spaces, and reached for the deck.
Then her smile froze.
Because I casually pulled the top card and set it aside, handing her the second one.
"Go ahead."
"Uh…" Mutsuki, rare for her, looked flustered. "I-I should draw it myself, right? This breaks the rules! I want a different card!"
I held her hand down, leaned in, and burst out laughing when I saw the card.
The event card in Mutsuki's hand instructed her to make a heartfelt confession to the player on her left.
"You weren't planning to make me draw this one, were you? If you say you didn't cheat, then the shuffle must've been random, right? Why fuss over the order?"
Mutsuki fell silent.
The little devil girl stared at me, devoid of her usual sly smirk.
The atmosphere felt off.
I opened my mouth to speak, but Mutsuki suddenly pushed me down onto the bed.
"Mutsuki?! What are you doing?"
Mutsuki straddled my waist, her slender frame exerting a strength that was completely unexpected from her looks alone, pinning me firmly.
"Sensei, acting so cocky can easily get you teased by your students, you know."
Mutsuki narrowed her eyes, her pink tongue grazing her lips.
"And breaking the rules by wearing those glasses… doesn't that just make it harder for someone to hold back?"
Then she leaned down, her lips brushing my ear.
In a soft whisper, she murmured, "Are you satisfied with this confession?"
Knock, knock, knock, knock, knock.
Just as panic set in, a lifesaving knock came at the door.
Shiroko's worried voice called from outside. "Sensei? Are you okay? I thought I heard something strange."
"Aww∼ What a shame~"
Mutsuki smiled, climbed off the bed, and put a finger to her lips, signaling me to stay quiet.
Then she slipped into the bathroom, greeting Ayane with a casual air. "Hey∼ Ayane~ Evening∼ You're here, as expected."